He has not upset the applecart at Camp Happy. According to a tweet, one batter was heard to say "I survived,'' after facing Aceves on Wednesday, an example of the bemused approach taken by teammates who like his pitching but are concentrating on their own work.

All we get out of this is that Aceves is an oddball, which we knew, and that John Farrell has passed his first test.

It's easy to say "dump this clown,'' and many people did. Boston's fallback options for starting pitching are slim, though, so before Aceves is thrown over the side, Farrell wants to be sure there is no other way.

Aceves' claim that this was miscommunication, though, sounds bogus. Come on, how many years has he thrown batting practice, and why does the process bewilder him now?

Figuring out Aceves is harder than a Rubik's Cube, in good times and bad. It's pretty funny when things are going smoothly, but this disruption was totally unnecessary.

Knowledgeable media people have offered several theories. One holds that the Red Sox did not dismiss Aceves because they are trying to get some value for him in a trade.

Another colleague told me the Red Sox know if Kevin Youkilis could bring nothing in return, Aceves sure won't. His best value is to the Red Sox, if they can keep him from spiraling out of control.
If he really was testing Farrell's authority, he should learn there are limits. Aceves' agent had to show up Monday to meet with general manager Ben Cherington, who basically told Tom O'Connell that his client had better cut the baloney.

If he does, the Red Sox have done the wise thing by keeping a pitcher who could help in a variety of ways, rather than impulsively jettisoning him to make a point. Don't forget that Farrell's best quality is communication, and he can't be blamed for wanting to give the first test of it a fair try.

But Aceves' mulligan has been used. He said he was sorry and that things are fine.